Hell
by Kuroi Kokoro 09
Summary: Despair. Distraught. Meaningless fights. Redness of the Inferno. Roars of the murderous intent. What does Hell mean to you other than those? Maybe Rukia could tell you more about that with her experiences during the battle in Hell.
1. Chapter 1

**Alright, I know I'm being a jerk, but when I watch the Movie 4: Hell Chapter Trailer, I just can't resist the blessings from the God of Inspirations, even if it meant to cut down my time on other matters.**

**Before reading a word, if you haven't watch the trailer yourself, then go watch it on YouTube and come back. For those who've watched it, you may find that this fic would have some differences from what you see in the trailer. Who cares, for it's my own creation (Though I tried to adapt from the trailer as much as possible, but there's the copyright we have to consider.)!**

**So, are you all ready? 1...2...**

_**Let all the Hell break loose...**_

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Hell

_So, this is what Hell is._

Rukia couldn't help it, but keeps thinking the same phrase with distraught and despair. This barren landscape has nothing at all, except piles of dried bones and the redness of fiery heat.

She feels her limbs growing weak. No matter how much she urges herself to move even a pinkie, her physical body just won't comply, staying just as still as ever. Her grip on her broken Zanpakutou looses gradually. Though claimed to be one of the most beautiful Zanpakutous in Soul Society, Sode no Shirayuki is no longer gleaming with its pure white, but stained and ugly rather.

She doesn't know what's become of Ishida and Chad; all that she knows is that as normal humans, they're in a real critical state. Renji could no longer use his Bankai for quite some time, but he still persists in fighting with his Shikai, yet it's way minute to win—ah, there you go, he finally collapses.

The painful weight in Rukia's chest grows, and it hurts most horribly. Even the captains are fighting, it's impossible to win.

She could hardly fight against her heavy eyelids, and waits hopelessly for the cruel end…

_So, this is what Hell is._

"_UOOH…!_"

The echoing cry thunders the dimension. Rukia's weary eyes, originally closing, snaps open with surprise.

In such a desperate situation, he's still swinging his blade against his enemies. Vigorous clashes of metal ring in the space.

A fraction of Rukia's lips crooks and lifts upwards. That's right; they have this trump card, their Substitute Shinigami. Ichigo never knows how to give up. He may have down times, but he'll never let loose of his precious blade. He'll keep fighting; even his body is in ribbons, his burning soul will still be blazing.

Of course, they're talking about his family that he cherishes. These people are committing crime after crime. They not only want to merge Hell and the Living World together, to trigger his immense potential powers, they even kidnapped his innocent younger sister, Yuzu. It's because of them that they're having this meaningless battle.

Her smile grows sarcastic. If she's a member of them, then she's doing nothing better to meet this very purpose.

"I don't care how and what my body becomes of! Even at cost of my own life, I must protect those who are precious to me!"

His loud voice could be heard from afar, catching many people's attentions, whether they've fallen or not. Beyond the furious red, there he is in his Bankai form. His robe-like Shihakushou, after so many battles, are in rags. Several wounds sport on his well-toned body.

Everyone hold their breath as he brings his spare left hand to his face, fingers curled a little. Rukia's eyes grow yet larger.

"Don't, Ichigo!" She finally finds her voice back and yells at top of her lungs. It's just a second, but all's too late now…

He brings his hand down in a ripping fashion and, at the same time, summons his Hollow mask. The nightmare begins.

_So, this is what Hell is._

Rukia watches the fight in terror. Probably it is fear that drives her heavy body to, finally, move subconsciously.

With the power augmentation after Hollowfication, the table's starting to turn. Every slash has so much power in it that the leaked reiatsu comes as if tsunami waves, washing them to and fro. It instils a sense of terror to Rukia as she recalls the time when they're in Las Noches, when that fearful reiatsu flooded down from the dome, when she realized it was Ichigo…

The frightening reiatsu is getting overwhelming, as if going to engulf everything in it, under its feet. Ichigo starts to act really weirdly. He might still be fighting, yet it seems that he's losing his focus to maintain his honour in his battles. He acts on more of his instincts than rationality, which sets off an alarming alert to his comrades.

His inner Hollow's surfacing, and he may risk the berserk mode of his stage of Complete Hollowfication.

"No, Ichigo! Call off your mask and suppress your inner Hollow! You're going on a rampage!" Rukia yells.

"_A-ARGH…!_" That's the last of his voice they could hear, before his black reiatsu envelops him up…

_So, this is what Hell is._

Rukia's eyes pop out again at the source of all catastrophes. Nothing she'd seen in the past could be compared to this sinister sight, even when Shiba Kaien's being possessed by Metastacia, taunting in her nightmares to no end.

Amongst the dancing tongues of flames, a humanoid beast looms over with the slender black blade in its right clawed hand. The long orange waist-length hair of a mane flows in the howling wind, so as the red tuffs on its collar, wrists and ankles. Rukia could spot the broken-heart markings on its chest and back from the hole at its chest. It turns around…

The mask with two horns startles many, to all, witnesses around, and it lets out a murderous roar.

It's executing the enemy's death in the most possible insulting and painful way. It crafts deep slashes into the dying body, and the black blade's drenched in blood. It swings the blade to get rid of those foul sticky liquids, yet at the same time sends a shockwave. The swing destroys and blasts a large area into flames, casting redness to everything.

Mindlessly, it carries on with its destruction, which threatens the balances of the dimensions.

_So, this is what Hell is._

"Come on, everyone! We can't stay here any longer!" Captain Hitsugaya calls to all the fighters alarmingly. In half a minute, Vice-Captains Hisagi and Kira appear and take Ishida and Chad, both heavily beaten and surely unconscious, away from the scene. Ikkaku and Yumichika evacuate with a barely conscious Renji together on their shoulders.

Rukia allows her stiff body to be picked up to a strong embrace. The hot wind goes past her naked skin, telling her she's now moving in high speed, yet she doesn't feel the journey to be bumpy. Through her murky eyes, she makes out the stern lines of the cool-faced Captain Kuchiki, her brother, bringing her to safety.

"Nii-sama…" She murmurs, unsure of whether he heard it or not. However, he just did.

"Hang on, Rukia." He responses quietly, never hesitating his pace for a second. "We're leaving here."

Rukia lets out a tired sigh of relief. Finally, they could return to the safety of the Living World, where Ichigo—

Wait a second…

"I-ICHIGO…!" She doesn't know where this surge of strength comes from, but she struggles in Byakuya's arms.

"No, Rukia!" It's probably the first time she hears him to be so agitated. "I'm sorry, but we have no choice!"

His hold grows stronger and they're very close to the Gates of this disastrous place. At the very last moment, before Byakuya makes a leap, Rukia's struggle finally comes to a success and climbs over his shoulder. She could see Ichigo, in his rampant New Hollow form, devastating the place to rubbles and terminating everything in his path.

"No…come back, _ICHIGO!_" She shrieks just before they, the last, pass through the Gates.

_So, this is what Hell is._

They've returned, to the safety of the Living World, but not everyone.

This safety is secured, but at the cost of a great man. His sacrifice's just too great to be weighed.

"Ichigo…_ICHIGO!_" Rukia's excruciating cries stab everyone's heart, as the heavy Gates are closing.

With her teary eyes, Rukia takes a glimpse of Hell for the last time.

She'll never forget the redness of this inferno, the place called Hell…

_So, this is what Hell is…_

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Well, I'd say it's just great since it's the first time I write a fic for Bleach (excluding the last chapter from _The Four Seasons_). If you don't think the same as I do, then gimme a friendly review, please...

**BTW, as the movie's supposed to be, there'd definitely a happy ending. So I just want to ask if anyone of you out there would like to have a happy ending with this story as well? Whatever your answer is, do give me a kind reply.**

**I love you all as well as your hearty reviews.**

**Drops of Chastity**

**P.S. If you like happy endings, please proceed to the next chapter.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Alright, if anyone of you like happy endings to that gloomy angst ending, here you go.**

**In fact, when I finished the first section, I kept telling myself not to make a happy ending for it. In the end...well, you see...**

**Sorry to prolong you all. So let's see if you like it or not!**

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Luckily, they've gotten Squad 4 standing by to deal with the injured. Captain Unohana personally tends to Chad's worse injuries, while Vice-Captain Kotetsu to Ishida with his numerous bone fractures.

Rukia, being the one in the group with the least injuries, is brought to Renji, who's already healed by the other squad members.

"Don't cry…just accept it…as the…hard fact…" He forces himself to finish the sentence. Rukia's tears have never ceased since returning, but she tries not to cry too violently. She's gotten two broken ribs and they nearly pierce into the lungs. After a minute, she still has tears streaming down her dirty cheeks.

Renji's too tired to say anything more and just gets himself some rest. Though they did squabble over trivial things, that's a great buddy, and he starts to miss him.

"Rukia," After attending to his matters, Byakuya comes to them. Renji gives him a quick nod and he returns it before saying, "You should really get yourself treated."

"Kuchiki-san…" It's Hanatarou behind Byakuya; probably he's asked to heal her.

"I'm fine, thank you." Rukia smiles weakly. The captain looks at her with judging eyes for a while. He then dismisses the clumsy seventh-seat and goes off.

"Kuchiki-san!" A familiar voice calls and Rukia looks behind her.

"Inoue…" She mutters quietly. Orihime's been crying her eyes out, she notices, with the red puffy eyes.

"Is it true…that Kuro-Kurosaki-kun's…?" He voice quivers as her body trembles, and her tears threaten to fall.

Rukia looks behind the brunette and there's Vice-Captain Matsumoto, hanging down her head with some of her beautiful blonde hair slightly sizzled.

A lump forms in Rukia's throat as she nods painfully. Orihime breaks out a wail and the two cuddle together.

"I'm sorry, Inoue…" Rukia sobs with hiccups. "I just…couldn't stop him…"

He just has no idea of how much his loss would bring grief to the others…

_So, this is what Hell is._

The ground rumbles and a strong gale howls.

"Wha-What's going on?" Rangiku questions as she braces herself. Rukia could barely open her eyes to see…

The two huge skeletons on the Gates of Hell…

What's even shocking is the approaching familiar heavy reiatsu…

Bit by bit, the Gates slide open from a thin line, a crack, to an opening…

A hand lies on the rim, then an arm appears on the other; one of the two hands is holding a black long thin katana.

The arms push the Gates to a wider gap and a figure emerges. Everyone here take in a breath as their last and final warrior returns from the depths of Hell. Rukia gasps, believing there'd be another catastrophe…

However, there's just Ichigo standing in his Shinigami form. No claws, no mane, no helmet-like sinister mask with two horns, no markings on his body, just his ripped Shihakushou and his Tensa Zangetsu. He makes wobbly steps, passing the Gates and being among them all. That's a bit too much for him and finally, he collapses.

_*15 - 15 - 15*_

"Ichigo…Ichigo!" With her repeated calls, he finally wakes up. Orihime squeaks and tears brim around her eyes.

"Rukia…" He responds in a croaky voice as he forces himself to sit up. Rukia couldn't resist it and punches his head.

"Ouch! What calls for that, you little…!" He yells and nurses the bump.

"Ku…Kuchiki-san!" Orihime panics. She's just withdrawn her shield, for there're not much physical wounds to heal; she only restored a little of his reiatsu. Somehow, having an inner Hollow with you is great for high-speed regeneration, yet of course, there's more bad than good.

"That's for being so reckless, you fool!" Rukia yells back, bombarding their ears. The dam finally collapses, and she wails.

"I'm…sorry, but there's no choice left for me," He replies and scratches his head. They become quiet, at last.

"Ichigo…I…" Rukia just doesn't know how to put things into a good sentence.

"Thank you, Rukia." Ichigo blurts out suddenly and startles those around them. "If it's not your last shriek, I'd definitely lose my last bit of sanity to my inner Hollow. So…thank you."

Everyone's speechless and stare blankly at their Substitute Shinigami scratching his head of orange hair.

Rukia sighs again. Geez, all these things make her feel cranky and old, though she is, in terms of human age.

"Welcome back, Ichigo." She says with a smile, petite just like her. He looks at her with his brown eyes of warmth, screaming his victory.

"Yeah, I'm home." At least, these are the few times he won't knit his brows to a frightening scowl.

There may be the worst things around you, but who knows? Sometimes, you may retrieve better things from it…

_So, this is what Hell is…_

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**Well duh, what do you guys think of it!**

**Whether you like this happy ending or the gloomy one, do let me know! With your support and ideas, perhaps I'd be on something _super dark..._**

**Hope to see you soon, and let's wait patiently for the great subbed movie to come!**

**Drops of Chastity**


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